Screen queens
We asked some of our community’s biggest film buffs to fill us in on all their celluloid secrets. Grab your popcorn and read up on all their favourite movie moments and what they’re most looking forward to at this year’s Sydney Film Festival.
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Monique Schafter – ABC 7.30 Producer/Star Observer Columnist
Favourite film of all time:
The Matrix. It came out when I was 19. I was blown away by the “bullet time” action sequences and the smart, philosophical storyline. Still love it.
Favourite queer-themed film:
Tomboy. A really sweet French drama that explores gender ambiguity through the eyes of a 10-year-old. The child actors are incredible.
Most desired leading lad or lady:
Ellen Page in Juno. I wanted to be her Bleeker.
Favourite line from a film:
“Never give up and good luck will find you” – Falcor in The Neverending Story.
Looking forward to most at SFF 2013:
Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer. Keen to find out more about the Russian girls behind the ski masks. Also interested in The Human Scale about a Danish architect who reckons major cities should be rebuilt for pedestrians and cyclists.
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Alex Greenwich – Member for Sydney
Favourite film of all time:
Milk
Favourite queer-themed film:
The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela
Most desired leading lad or lady:
James Franco (Don’t tell my husband).
Favourite line from a film:
“That’s just what this country needs: a cock in a frock on a rock.” – Priscilla Queen of the Desert
“Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.” – Dead Poets Society
Looking forward to most at SFF 2013:
William Yang, My Generation
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Christine Forster – City of Sydney Councillor
Favourite film of all time:
The Big Chill
Favourite queer-themed film:
Victor Victoria
Most desired leading lad or lady:
Barbra Streisand
Favourite line from a film:
“He’s not the Messiah, he’s just a naughty boy!” – Monty Python’s Life of Brian
Looking forward to most at SFF 2013:
I’m hoping to make it to opening night, Mystery Road sounds phenomenal.
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James ‘Breko’ Brechney – Founder of #DIYrainbow
Favourite film of all time:
Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion. Lisa Kudrow is one of the most underrated comedians of our time – check out her short lived 2005 TV series ‘The Comeback’ so I can prove it to you.
Favourite queer-themed film:
Shortbus. I would watch this New York delight religiously with my first boyfriend. We’d just moved to Surry Hills together and as naive as it may seem now I felt our experiences of living in a big gay city were somewhat analogous. Director John Cameron Mitchell is so darn clever and has to get back to the craft. Surely a sequel to Hedwig couldn’t be any worse than being in the second season of Girls?
Most desired leading lad or lady:
Joan Rivers in A Piece of Work. I caught this fantastic documentary at SFF 2010 and was blown away by Joan’s humour and work ethic. She’s not my usual type but as I approach 30 I’m ever so slowly seeing the value in personality over looks.
Favourite line from a film:
“Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.” – Dr Emmett Brown, Back to the Future II.
Looking forward to most at SFF 2013:
The first North Korean film to ever hit SFF, the Doris Day-esque romantic comedy ‘Comrade Kim Goes Flying’. It’s an independent feature filmed by Westerners in reclusive North Korea. It’s incredible, given the current political climate, that this film even exists. I have to also give a quick shout out for the doco on Pussy Riot and the best place to have a beer during SFF: The Festival Hub.
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Penny Sharpe – NSW MLC/Shadow Minister for Transport
Favourite film of all time:
It’s a toss up between Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet.
Favourite queer-themed film:
Wachowski Brother’s film Bound.
Most desired leading lad or lady:
Kate Beckinsale in the fantastically atrocious Underworld films.
Favourite line from a film:
“Puny god” – Hulk, The Avengers.
“We all sit around mindlessly slagging off that vile stink-hole of a city. But in its own strange way, it takes care of us.” – Bernadette, Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
Looking forward to most at SFF 2013:
Every year I read the program and make a list then don’t have time to go. This year I’m really annoyed that I’ll be missing the short films.
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Marcus Pastorelli – Harbour City Bears Vice President
Favourite film of all time:
I have a lot of films I really love, but Barbarella has to be my all time favourite. It’s such a fun film to watch and I never tire of it and how ridiculous, yet fantastic it is at the same time.
Favourite queer-themed film:
Oh wow this is hard because there is quite a few. I have to go with Better Than Chocolate as my favourite with My Beautiful Laundrette a close second.
Most desired leading lad or lady:
This is easy, Helen Mirren in her black army boots from RED.
Favourite line from a film:
Its from the Fellowship of the Ring in a scene where Frodo laments the misery of their situation to which Gandolf replies: “So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
Looking forward to most at SFF 2013:
The feature film I’m most looking forward to is the Iranian film by Atiq Rahimi: The Patience Stone. I think it looks like a really interesting film.
INFO: www.sff.org.au
